Written Answers Friday 4 November 2005

Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which individual routes and airlines have received financial support from the Route Development Fund since it was launched.

Tavish Scott: The information requested is provided in the following table. A total of 31 routes have been supported since the inception of the Route Development Fund by the Scottish Executive in November 2002.

  

Route
Airline
Date Air Service Started


Aberdeen-Groningen
bmi
May 2004


Aberdeen-Bristol
Eastern
November 2004


Aberdeen-Copenhagen
SAS
November 2004


Aberdeen-Oslo
CityStar
March 2005


Aberdeen-Southampton
Eastern
March 2005


Aberdeen-Blackpool
CityStar
July 2005


Edinburgh-Cologne
Germanwings
March 2003 (now operating without RDF support)


Edinburgh-Jersey
bmi
May 2003 (ceased summer 2003) 


Edinburgh-Geneva
duo
November 2003 (ceased May 2004)


Edinburgh-Milan
duo
November 2003 (ceased May 2004)


Edinburgh-Zurich
duo
November 2003 (ceased May 2004)


Edinburgh-Oslo
duo
November 2003 (ceased May 2004)


Edinburgh-Munich
duo
March 2004 (ceased May 2004)


Edinburgh-New York
Continental
June 2004


Edinburgh-Barcelona
Flyglobespan
May 2005


Glasgow International-Dubai
Emirates
April 2004


Glasgow International-Prague
CSA Czech Airlines
October 2004 (ceased August 2005)


Glasgow International-Barcelona
Flyglobespan
March 2005


Glasgow Prestwick-Skavsta (Stockholm)
Ryanair
April 2003


Glasgow Prestwick-Girona (Barcelona) 
Ryanair
May 2003


Glasgow Prestwick-Gothenburg
Ryanair
October 2003


Glasgow Prestwick-Bergamo (Milan)
Ryanair
January 2004


Glasgow Prestwick-Ciampino (Rome)
Ryanair
April 2004


Glasgow Prestwick-Neiderrhein (Düsseldorf)
Ryanair
November 2004


Glasgow Prestwick-Lübeck (Hamburg)
Ryanair
March 2005


Glasgow Prestwick-Pisa
Ryanair
March 2005


Inverness-Birmingham
Eastern
November 2003


Inverness-Stockholm
Snowflake
March 2004 (ceased July 2004)


Inverness-Bristol
easyJet
July 2005


Kirkwall-Bergen
Loganair
June 2003 (ceased September 2003)


Sumburgh-Oslo
Widerøe
July-August 2004 and July-August 2005

Air Services

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial support it has provided through the Route Development Fund since it was launched, broken down by route.

Tavish Scott: Since the inception of the Route Development Fund in November 2002, a total of £1.6 million has been paid out in relation to new routes to 31 March 2005. The level of investment on an individual route basis is commercially confidential.

Air Services

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions it attaches to the allocation of financial support through the Route Development Fund.

Tavish Scott: To qualify for Route Development Fund investment, each route must demonstrate that it can meet the fundamental objectives of the fund to improve connectivity with key business and inbound tourism markets.

  Each route is appraised against a wide range of operational and economic benefit appraisal criteria including net present value and benefit cost ratio hurdles.

  The routes must operate to minimum weekly frequency requirements on a year-round basis, and must serve destinations not currently served from the respective airports. If the minimum requirements are not maintained, the route ceases to be eligible for investment.

Civic Participation

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the development of effective civic participation.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has long been committed to developing effective civic participation and is working hard to achieve this. Recently, it has set up a dedicated Civic Participation Policy Branch to co-ordinate development of the Executive’s policy, supported by a Civic Participation Steering Group which provides a strategic view and co-ordinates Executive activity. A Civic Participation Network for Executive Staff has also been established to cascade good practice across the Executive and provide feedback to the steering group. We are also working to ensure a range of training and information-sharing opportunities for Executive staff, both internal and external. The Good Practice Guidance on Consultation for Executive Staff is currently being reviewed and will, amongst other things, take account of recent developments, follow-up recommendations in the research report which we published in August, and be made easier to use.

Civic Participation

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to facilitate participation from the widest range of individuals and groups across Scotland in national consultation processes and policy development.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive is committed to practices that will ensure that the widest range of individuals and groups who will be affected by our policies are able to inform the development of those policies. We are particularly keen to ensure that we reach those who have traditionally been excluded, such as young people and minority ethnic communities. The recent wide-ranging consultations on Smoking in Public Places, Anti-Social Behaviour and the McInnes Review of Summary Justice are just a few examples of our successes in doing so. Several major projects designed to facilitate wider participation are also underway, such as Dialogue Youth and Project Scotland.

  I also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19806 on 4 November 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The steps detailed in that answer are intended to find other innovative ways of facilitating participation and to spread that good practice across the Executive.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many procurators fiscal were employed in each sheriff court in each of the last five years.

Colin Boyd QC: The following table shows the number of procurators fiscal and total number of legal staff in each sheriff court area in each of the last five years. The numbers reflect permanent staff in post at 1 October each year only and do not include trainee solicitors. In cases where no Procurator Fiscal or other legal staff are shown, the relevant officers are shared with or based in another district office and are not included in the individual entries to avoid double counting. In the five year period, there has been an increase of 20% in legal staff numbers. The decrease in the number of PF posts is as a result of re-structuring in the department and areas introducing the most efficient way of delivering the service.

  Sheriff Court Areas October 2001 to October 2005, Legal Staff in Post – Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Numbers (does not Include Trainee Solicitors)

  Grampian, Highland and Islands

  

Office
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post Fte Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


Aberdeen
1
18
1
22
1
20
1
22
1
23


Banff
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
1


Dingwall
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2


Dornoch
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0


Elgin
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2


Fort William
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1


Inverness
1
5
1
7
1
9
1
8
1
9


Kirkwall
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1


Lerwick
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
1


Lochmaddy
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0


Peterhead
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2


Portree
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0


Stonehaven
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0


Stornoway
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1


Tain
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1


Wick
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1


Totals
13
35
13
42
13
43
9
42
9
45



  Tayside, Central and Fife

  

  Office
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post Fte Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


Alloa
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1


Arbroath
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1.6
1
1.8


Cupar
1
1.6
1
1.6
1
1.6
1
1.5
0.8*
1.3


Dundee
1
15
1
13
1
17
1
16
1
18.8


Dunfermline
1
7
1
6
1
6
1
5.8
1
5.8


Falkirk
1
7.5
1
8
1
8
1
8
1
7


Forfar
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
1


Kirkcaldy
1
8
1
8
1
8.6
1
9.6
1
8.6


Perth
1
6.5
1
6.5
1
8
1
8
1
8


Stirling
1
6.9
1
5.9
1
9.5
1
7.4
1
7.8


Totals
9
55.5
9
52
9
60.7
8
59.9
7.8
61.1



  Note: *Present post holder is part time but post remains a full time post.

  Lothian and Borders

  

  Office
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post Fte Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


Duns
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0


Edinburgh
1
38
1
36
1
33
1
40.4
1
41.1


Haddington
1
2
1
2
1
1
0
1
0
1


Jedburgh
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1


Linlithgow
1
7.1
1
7.1
1
8.6
1
9.1
1
8.6


Peebles
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0


Selkirk
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
2


Totals
5
49.1
5
47.1
5
44.6
3
53.5
3
53.7



  North Strathclyde

  

  Office
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


Campbeltown
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0


Dumbarton
1
8.4
1
8.4
1
8.4
1
8.4
1
8.7


Dunoon
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0*
0


Greenock
1
5
1
5
1
6
1
5.8
1
6.8


Kilmarnock
1
9.6
1
9.6
1
12.4
1
13.4
1
13.6


Oban
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1


Paisley
1
15.6
1
17.6
1
19
1
18.8
1
16.2


Rothesay
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0


Totals
7
41.6
7
43.6
7
48.8
6
48.4
5
46.3



  Note: *Oct 2005 Dunoon PF now located in Greenock office but retains commission for Dunoon

  South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway

  

  Office
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post Fte Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


Airdrie
1
11.2
1
10.2
1
11.2
1
13.5
1
13.8


Ayr
1
4.6
1
6.6
1
6.6
1
6.8
1
6.8


Dumfries
1
5
1
6
1
7
1
7
1
7


Hamilton
1
22
1
23
1
31
1
28.8
1
30.8


Kirkcudbright
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0


Lanark
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2


Stranraer
1
1.5
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2


Totals
6
46.3
6
49.8
6
59.8
6
60.1
6
62.4



  Glasgow and Strathkelvin

  

  Office
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post Fte Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


Glasgow
1
73.2
1
81.1
1
86.4
1
85.2
1
89.9



  Crown Office

  

 
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


  Office
PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post Fte Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


Crown Office
N/A
43.5
N/A
50.9
N/A
57.5
N/A
59.3
N/A
53.3



  

 
 
1-10-2001
1-10-2002
1-10-2003
1-10-2004
1-10-2005


PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post Fte Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF
  PFPosts
Staff in Post FTE Including PF


GrandTotal
41
344.2
41
366.5
41
400.8
33
408.4
31.8
411.7

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fines have been issued since 1999 to people caught in possession of cannabis and, of these, how many have been paid in full.

Cathy Jamieson: The available statistics are given in the following table.

  The figures provided on the total number of persons fined for illegal possession of drugs are derived from the Scottish Executive Justice Department’s court proceedings database. This database does not currently hold information on the type of drug involved in all such convictions. However, it is possible to make use of separate data collected by the Home Office to estimate the proportion of these convictions which related to cannabis.

  Persons Fined for Illegal Possession of Drugs, 1999-20031

  

Year
Number
Estimated % Relating to Cannabis3


1999
3,795
77


2000
3,247
78


2001
3,321
75


2002
3,363
75


20032
4,267
71



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes estimated data.

  3. Estimated from Home Office data.

Ferry Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received the work commissioned from Steer Davies Gleave on the application of EU rules in other member states and published in Research and Advice on Risk Management in Relation to the Subsidy of Ferry Services at one time or over a period of time; if it was received at one time, on what date, and if it was received over a period of time, over what period it was received, when the last piece of work was received and on what dates the first and last piece of research were received.

Tavish Scott: The advice commissioned from Steer Davies Gleave was received over a period of time, starting on 14 January 2005, with the final report received on 31 August 2005.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the methods of surveying nephrops stocks provide an accurate measurement of stocks; if so, whether it will seek to agree a higher nephrops total allowable catch (TAC) for the west coast and secure such a TAC ahead of the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council, and whether it will continue to involve representatives of the Mallaig and North West Fishermen’s Association and the West of Scotland Fish Producers’ Organisation in all stages prior to any negotiation being concluded.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek an increase in the west coast monkfish total allowable catch.

Ross Finnie: Yes.

Food Additives

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has introduced to reduce pesticide levels in food.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Executive policy is delivered through the pesticide approvals process under which statutory conditions of use are set, the implementation of EC Directives on maximum residues levels (MRLs) which set limits on the amount of pesticide residue permitted in food and the surveillance monitoring programme undertaken by the Pesticides Residues Committee (PRC). The PRC programme checks for pesticide residues in food, testing some 4,000 samples each year to ensure that no unexpected residues are occurring and pesticides are being used correctly.

Housing

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the research published by Communities Scotland, The impact of second and holiday homes on rural communities in Scotland , it will urge HM Treasury to reconsider the implementation of new tax rules on 1 April 2006 which would allow second homes to be placed in pension funds.

Malcolm Chisholm: One of the conclusions of the recent research was that specific policies to control second homes would not address the broader housing pressures on rural communities.

  The new pension rules being introduced from April 2006 are reserved to the UK Government. Should there be any evidence of the new arrangements having a negative impact on the Scottish housing market, in the Highlands and Islands or anywhere else, the Executive will raise any concerns with the UK Government.

Housing

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has conducted, or will conduct, into the likely impact on the availability of affordable housing in remote and rural areas of new tax rules which allow property to be placed in pension funds, in light of the research published by Communities Scotland, The impact of second and holiday homes on rural communities in Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The new pension rules being introduced from April 2006 are reserved to the UK Government. Its Regulatory Impact Assessment concluded that it was unlikely that there will be a significant inflow of pension capital to the residential property market when the changes to pension rules are introduced in 2006.

  The Executive has no plans to conduct any specific studies into the likely impact of the new rules on the availability of affordable housing in remote and rural areas. The implementation and outcome of the new tax rules will, however, be monitored. Should there be evidence of these changes having a negative impact on the Scottish housing market, in the Highlands and Islands or elsewhere, the Executive has undertaken to raise any concerns with the UK Government.

Housing

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure an increase in the supply of socially rented housing in remote and rural areas.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive recognises the vital part affordable housing has to play in ensuring the sustainability of communities in remote and rural areas. That is why we have made a significant increase in the level of investment in rural housing and are developing innovative ways to increase provision in rural areas.

  In 2005-06 nearly £97 million of investment will be allocated to rural areas, almost 30% of the capital programme for housing investment. This is targeted at pressured areas facing severe shortages and also at maintaining viable communities in more remote areas. Funding by the Executive through Communities Scotland has risen by 44% in the Highlands and Islands area from £37.7 million in 2004-05 to £54.4 million in 2005-06. Within Highlands and Islands, funding for social rented accommodation accounts for 70% of the budget.

  The Executive has negotiated an agreement with Forestry Commission Scotland to enable the preferential release of surplus forestry land to registered social landlords for affordable housing. There are currently 20 sites in Scotland involved in the scheme. In February this year, the Executive approved over £3 million for an innovative pilot land banking fund for the Highlands to secure land for affordable housing. We have also recently announced a willingness to release land for affordable housing from Scottish Ministers’ Estates, 99% of which is crofting land. The full extent of our policies to release land for affordable housing is set out in the Executive’s housing policy statement Homes for Scotland’s People published in March this year. A copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 35778).

Housing

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has carried out of the demand for housing in remote and rural areas and the different types of demand, for example for second homes, key workers, socially rented accommodation and family accommodation.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive’s comprehensive review of affordable housing in 2003-04 provided a clear picture of housing supply and need across Scotland in both urban and rural areas. The review directly informed the wide range of actions we are now taking on a broad front to improve housing supply and affordability in the market and to increase provision of affordable housing.

  At the local level, the Local Housing Strategies prepared by local authorities identify local levels of need for affordable rented accommodation and low cost home ownership options, both of which can help to address the needs of local people and families.

  In relation to second homes, Communities Scotland has carried out research into the impact of second and holiday homes across Scotland, to determine whether such activity is pricing local residents out of the housing market in remote and rural areas. This will be published shortly and a copy will be available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Additionally, Communities Scotland is currently conducting research that is examining the relationship between affordable housing supply and the labour market. This work should pick up whether there are any particular issues facing key workers in rural areas. Communities Scotland is looking to publish this research early next year.

Information Technology

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of difficulties experienced by residents in rural areas such as Poolewe who have applied to BT for broadband access but have experienced delays of up to eight weeks before BT is able to establish whether a broadband connection can be made from any given address and what action the Executive is taking to ensure that affected residents will receive a prompt assessment from BT to determine their broadband capacity.

Tavish Scott: BT have told us that the delays in testing lines for broadband access in Poolewe have been caused by storm-damaged cable and faulty exchange equipment. Both are now being replaced and residents should shortly see a marked improvement in service.

Information Technology

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any deadline has been set by which residents who are unable to access broadband via BT can be found some other means of accessing broadband and, if so, what that deadline is.

Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19677 answered on 3 November 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Legislation

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19645 by Robert Brown on 27 October 2005, under what UK legislation the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 can be disapplied.

Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-2529 on 25 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Legislation

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish Acts can be disapplied by UK legislation, showing in each case the relevant UK legislation.

Ms Margaret Curran: Any Scottish act may be disapplied or otherwise amended by UK legislation, though insofar as primary legislation is for a devolved purpose it would normally be subject to the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

Local Government

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to protect the pensions of Scottish local government employees.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20039 on 3 November 2005. All answers to written Parliament Information Centre are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Local Government Finance

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of GDP was spent on public services in each local authority in each of the last six years.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS Waiting Times

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times in weeks were, and how many patients were waiting, for a first appointment in the (a) child dental health, (b) conservation, (c) oral medicine, (d) oral surgery, (e) orthodontics, (f) periodontology and (g) prosthodontics department of the Glasgow Dental Hospital in each quarter for which figures are available since June 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: Median waiting times for first out-patient appointments, following referral from a general medical or dental practitioner, are compiled from retrospective data which is collected at speciality level only and not at hospital department level. Due to technical difficulties with the patient information management system at Glasgow Dental Hospital, information prior to 1 May 2004 is not directly comparable with subsequent data. Consequently, median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment in the dental specialties at Glasgow Dental Hospital, for the quarters ending 30 June 2004 to 30 June 2005, are given in table 1.

  Information on waiting lists for a first out-patient appointment in the dental specialities has been collected centrally only since 31 December 2004. The number of patients waiting for a first out-patient appointment, following referral, at Glasgow Dental Hospital, by department, on 31 December 2004, 31 March 2005 and 30 June 2005 is given in table 2.

  Like all NHS boards, NHS Greater Glasgow is committed to achieving the Executive’s targets that, by 31 December 2005, no patient will wait more than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment, following referral by a general medical or dental practitioner. To help deliver this commitment, Glasgow Dental Hospital arranged a significant number of additional clinics in the specialty of oral medicine in early 2005, as well as other actions. This activity was specifically focused on ensuring long waiters were seen. As a consequence, the median waiting time rose sharply in the relevant quarters, but the number of patients waiting more than 26 weeks for an appointment was reduced from 701 on 31 December 2004 to only 24 on 30 June 2005 – a reduction of over 96%.

  Table 1 – NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times in Weeks for a First Out-Patient Appointment, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, at Glasgow Dental Hospital, by Dental Specialty. Quarters ending 30 June 2004 to 30 June 2005P

  

Dental Specialties
30 June 2004
30 September 2004
31 December 2004
31 March 2005
30 June 2005P


All Specialties
18 weeks
23 weeks
30 weeks
31 weeks
26 weeks


Oral Medicine
9 weeks
8 weeks
7 weeks
30 weeks
9 weeks


Oral Surgery
15 weeks
20 weeks
31 weeks
32 weeks
22 weeks


Orthodontics
30 weeks
38 weeks
68 weeks
71 weeks
64 weeks


Paediatric
13 weeks
17 weeks
9 weeks
8 weeks
10 weeks


Restorative
52 weeks
54 weeks
53 weeks
47 weeks
46 weeks



  Source: SMR00, ISD Scotland.

  PProvisional.

  Table 2 – NHSScotland: Number of Patients Waiting for a First Out-Patient Appointment, Following Referral by a General Medical or Dental Practitioner, at Glasgow Dental Hospital, by Department, on 31 December 2004, 31 March 2005 and 30 June 2005

  

Dental Departments
31 December 2005
31 March 2005
30 June 2005


All Departments
8,933
7,140
5,927


Paediatric Dentistry
1,069
1,056
793


Conservation
1,713
1,633
1,367


Oral Medicine
1,265
428
497


Oral Surgery
2,108
1,752
1,337


Orthodontics
1,263
1,025
654


Periodontology
1,007
886
875


Prosthodontics
432
332
381



  Source: Scottish Out-Patient Waiting List (OPWL) Census, ISD Scotland. The OPWL is under data development and figures reported may change.

People with Learning Disabilities

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that, where guardianship has been granted for an adult or a child with learning disabilities, direct payments to these guardians are paid promptly to ensure the full care of the disabled person.

Lewis Macdonald: Once a guardian has been authorised to receive direct payments on a user’s behalf, the process of issuing the money is the same as for any other user. No difficulties with prompt payment are expected, or have been brought to our attention.

Population

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has in respect of Scots living abroad, particularly in relation to (a) numbers, (b) countries of residence, (c) skills and (d) workplaces and, if it does not have such information, whether it will seek to gather it and, if so, by what means.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Such information, if required to inform specific Executive policies in particular markets, is gathered from sources such as other Government departments, relevant Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), external organisations and in country sources.

  The Executive has no plans to routinely collect such information.

Public Bodies

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for remunerating the chairs and members of public bodies, such as the board of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

Mr Tom McCabe: Chairs and members are remunerated where a significant time commitment is required or where there is a need to ensure a more representational cross-section of people on the boards of Scottish public bodies. Allowable expenses are reimbursed for all posts including those which are not remunerated. In determining the level of fee affordability is considered alongside: the responsibilities of the body, the complexity and specialist nature of its work, its budget and staff-size and any special qualifications or skills which are required; the remuneration received by chairs and members of similar non-departmental public bodies, and the remuneration of the previous postholders and/or other members of the board.

Roads

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in designing the junction improvements on the A9 at Bankfoot.

Tavish Scott: Substantial design work has been undertaken on a number of possible junction layouts ranging from the construction of the junction alone to the construction of the junction with an associated climbing lane with or without provision for future dualling. Extensive economic analysis has also been undertaken to identify which of the options represents the best value for money solution. A decision on the best option will be made later this month.

Roads

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when orders will be published to upgrade the Bankfoot junction on the A9.

Tavish Scott: It is expected that orders will be published for the Bankfoot Junction Improvement towards the end of 2006.

Roads

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects work to commence on the upgrade of the Bankfoot junction on the A9.

Tavish Scott: Work to upgrade Bankfoot Junction is programmed to start in spring 2007 subject to the successful completion of the necessary statutory and land acquisition procedures.

Scottish Executive Buildings

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18951 by Mr Tom McCabe on 16 September 2005, what the annual rent is of each property that it rents.

Mr Tom McCabe: At the end of financial year 2004-05 the annual rent of each property that Scottish Executive rents is as set out in the following table:

  

Address
Town
Rent


Bute House
Edinburgh
Nil


Unit 4 Callendar Business Park
Falkirk
£50,270


23 Walker Street
Edinburgh
£54,320


32 Reidhaven Street
Elgin
£26,500


Europa Building, 450 Argyll Street
Glasgow
£635,000


Meridian Court, 5 Cadogan Street
Glasgow
£1,190,000


4A+4B Elizafield
Edinburgh
£60,990


141 Leith Walk
Edinburgh
£93,000


6B Tower Street, Leith
Edinburgh
£18,700


Pentland House, 47 Robbs Loan
Edinburgh
£1,100,000


Admin Block, 130 Blochairn Road
Glasgow
£9,100


Ord Croft
Lairg
£5,500


Strathearn House, Broxden,
Perth
£379,743


Unit 4B Kinlochleven Business Park
Kinlochleven
£4,000


6 Crossapol
Tiree
£6,000

Scottish Executive Contracts

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value was of its Education Department contracts awarded to businesses with headquarters in Scotland; how many such contracts there were; what percentage these values and numbers represented of the total (a) value and (b) number of its Education Department contracts, and what the value was of each contract in each of the last three financial years.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value was of its Health Department contracts awarded to businesses with headquarters in Scotland; how many such contracts there were; what percentage these values and numbers represented of the total (a) value and (b) number of its Health Department contracts, and what the value was of each contract in each of the last three financial years.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value was of its Justice Department contracts awarded to businesses with headquarters in Scotland; how many such contracts there were; what percentage these values and numbers represented of the total (a) value and (b) number of its Justice Department contracts, and what the value was of each contract in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information centrally and therefore could only provide this information at disproportionate cost.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what spending commitments it has made in each month since May 2003 broken down by month.

Mr Tom McCabe: All of the Scottish Executive’s spending commitments are published as part of the annual budget process which is scrutinised by the Finance Committee and debated by Parliament.